ASSESSMENT OF LANDSCAPE DESIGN ELEMENTS APPLICATION FOR CROWD MOVEMENT OPTIMIZATION IN CATHOLIC CHURCHES IN BENUE STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The optimization of crowd movement assists not only in the efficient discharge of crowd, and facilitation of comfortable environments, but also helps to check crowd related crime. This paper aims at determining the extent to which landscape design features have been applied in Catholic churches to aid crowd control and optimise crowd movement. Data collection was based on structured observation schedule and questionnaires issued to Catholics drawn randomly from public places. Data collected was analysed using SPSS and the results were imputed in the Microsoft excel package for the development of charts. Findings show that 55% of catholic churches have applied landscape design elements to optimise crowd movement. Majority of catholic churches in the State have provisions for parking that is below the optimum, most of respondents’ worship at churches having defined paths in the landscape, of which 89% expressed that paths provided for circulation are of at least optimal widths. 82.4% of respondents held that way finding in their places of worship is easy and effective. The paper concludes that for crowd movement to be optimised, there must be a synergy between building capacity and landscaping provisions to enhance free flow of crowd even at peak periods.